Aerated Autoclaved Concrete (AAC) blocks and slabs are produced in many different ways. The numerous methods of producing AAC blocks and slabs share the same general process, with differences between methods arising in the manner of handling and cutting the green cake. In each of the existing processes the output capacity of the manufacturing plant is greatly influenced by the capacity of the cutting machines.
The general process of producing AAC blocks and slabs may include the following steps. To begin, the cementous raw material, combined with a rising agent such as aluminum powder and water, is thoroughly mixed and poured into an open top mold.
After a sufficient period of time in which rising has occurred and the mix is sufficiently stable enough to handle (in the semi-plastic, or green cake, state), the sides of the mold are opened and the green cake is picked up by a grab crane and placed on a cutting machine on a specially designed frame positioned over cross cutting wires.
The green cake is next cross cut by oscillating cross cutting wires. Then the cake is pushed through vertical and horizontal sets of oscillating cutting wires to complete cutting the cake in three directions. The specially designed frame passes under the machine and picks up the cake at the other end, which is a very complicated and costly design.
The specially designed frame with the cut cake thereon next moves to a vacuum crane which lifts the uneven top and side crusts of the cake and releases them onto a recycling bin adjacent to the cake.
The frame is then moved to a stacking station where several frames (usually three) are stacked one over the other by a stacking crane, with manually placed steel columns, which act as spacer rods, positioned in between the stacked cakes and frames.
The set of stacked frames and cakes is then placed in an autoclave for steam curing at elevated temperature and pressure.
After curing and removal from the autoclave, the stacked frames and cakes are then de-stacked by a de-stacking crane with manual removal of the steel columns. After de-stacking, the finished product is then stacked again for palletizing.
Thus, as can be seen from the above discussion, existing methods of processing AAC blocks and slabs require substantial equipment, time, and manual labor. In particular, the above described process requires the use of specially designed frames and spacer rods to support and stack the green cake.
Further, the above described process requires the cut green cake and frames to be initially stacked for placement in the autoclave, de-stacked once removed from the autoclave, and subsequently restacked for palletizing and delivery.
Thus, there is a need for a less complex, and time and labor saving system and method for processing material that avoids the disadvantages of the type of system and method described above. The exemplary system and method of processing materials described herein provides such a less complex, and time and labor saving system and method for processing material by increasing the capacity of a cutting machine, reducing or eliminating manual labor, eliminating stacking, de-stacking, and re-stacking steps, and eliminating the need for several major components used in the process described above. Thus, the exemplary described system and method reduce equipment and operational costs, and therefore also reduce the cost of the product.